Checking means for interpreters



Jan, 6, 1953 1. N. WHEELER 2,624,273

CHECKING MEANS FOR INTERPRETERS Filed July l, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Jan. 6, 1953 Filed July l, 1947 J. N. WHEELER v cHEcxING MEANS FOR INTERPRETERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR daf/N /v. WHEELER TTORNEY Jan. 6, 1953 Filed July l, 1947 J. N. WHEELER CHECKING MEANS FOR INTERPRETERS 6 Sheets-Sheet .'5

lNvEN-roR JOHN N. WHEELER ATTORN EY Jan. 6, 1953 J. N. WHEELER 2,524,273

CHECKING MEANS FOR INTERPRETERS Filed July l, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,Leg-Il- 'v i1 1 @Q59 0 4545" W TEA-62 FSE-5- 4002 129 76 AMOUNT DAY AGE 1 1 1 1 1 1 O11 1 1 1 2222 zozloz zz 3533333333313; 4404444144444 5555 55 5g55 55 666666616666 77 7777 7177 70 888655 658 5a lNvEN-roR JOHN N. WHEELER ATTORNEY Jan. 6, 1953 J. N. WHEELER CHECKING MEANS FOR INTERPRETERS Filed July l, 1947 INVENTOR JOHN N WHEELER BY g( ATTORNEY Jan. 6, 1953 J. N. WHEELER 2,624,273

CHECKING MEANS FOR NTERPRETERS led July 1, 1947 i e sheets-sheet s E5- Saf /fey @l '5560/7 key o 1F26! -hr- INVENTOR JOHN N. WHEELER ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 6, 1953 A2,65%,273 CHECKING "MEANS FORINTERPRETERS ohn N. yWheelerA Hawthorna.2 N. Y., assigner to International Businessy Machines Corporation, New York, -N. Y.,a corporation of New York Application July'l, 1947,'Se1ial'Nm17585354 (Cl. lOl-2)' 7 Claims. '1 This invention relates to card interpreters which include printing means controlledby codal representations of items/on recordcards to print the items on the record cards.

It is desirable in such machines to check ,the

The .checkingmeansofathe. prior,y art either stops the l.machine or suppresses `printing vvhen-- an Verror is detected.

The presentinvention resides in improved and lsimplified checking=means for .acardiinterpreten Further, the invention provides for separation of cards lwhich have vr'correctly .controlled :the

printing means 'from :those :cards which fhave exercised f incorrect fcontrol. `'.Accoroling :to :the invention, after-each card ofa-runzisssensed. at a main stationifor its-item representations 'to Acontrol ythe settnglof :typeicarriers accordingly, the card-is passed-inthe same cyclethrough a checking `station -at which it fis again -sensed for its item `representations. yComparison -circuits are-closed under control "of the sensing means at the vchecking station and under further! control -of f the l' typecarriers. "These A comparison-)circuits-determine whether the :type vcarriers-were accuratelyset -under control-of the sensing'means at the-main station. -Ifl inaccuracy in the setting is found, the controllingcard is directed byfsorting means to N-one-=receiving pocket, printingon the card-being incidentally suppressed. If accurate setting ofthe :type carriers Vhas been'made, the f printing operation takes place and-the card is sorted to a diiferentreceivingpocket.

"It is understoody that the invention' herein disclosed'is in tsbroader=aspects applicable tocard- Vcontrolled machines in which. recording maybe done by-punching-orwprinting indiciafselected by the lcontrollingcards, -upona medium or mediumsremote from the controlling cards.

AOther objects fof -the invention vvill be pointed out in *the following. descriptionA and A claims vand illustrated-inl the*accompanyingdrawings;-which disclose, by wav of examples, the-principlefofthe i v2 invention and-the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

Infthe drawings:

Fig. .1' is a vertical section through the machine.

.'Fig. 2 is asectional view of the .drive side of the-machine.

`Eig,1. l issadetail viewaof rcontact .meansassociated:.-with..the..type carrying bars vand .which contactzmeans participate in `the .checking operation.

.Figsfis a .timing chart of pertinent elements.

5Fig*.fiishowsa fragment of lan interpreted card.

fFiglY is.a..detail :viewfof -aiportion of thewcard sorting-means.

Fig. 181s a.section,.on.an. enlarged scale, taken alonglines-' of Fig. 1.

VFig. 9 isa circuit diagram.

The vinterpreter to which the invention thas beenY applied as illustrative is, except for changes necessitatedby.theinventionl similar to theinterpreter. disclosed in Patent 1,946,900to G. F..Daly. The .following description .covers .the inventive Isubject matter, andpertinentparts. of thepatent- .edinter-preter.

' Referring `to 12,".a .main-shaft '.915 'is vdriven fthrou'ghiabelt il `l -by -a *motorl M. shown :only in the circuit :'diagram, fFig. .f 9. Shaft. zl', .through '.Worm gearingil, im continuously :rotates a :shaft :r5.1 Onshaft'i-is abox cam I6 acting onaollower lever Il, link 2E! and arm I9 to rock-ashait 2L .Shaft '12|'.carries .apairof arms 12.2 ',(Figs. l and 3)..swiveled-to picker :slides '23. :Each-reciprocatorr of .thepickerslides 'feeds the bottom card outfofzfthe :supply hopper 22'4' .to lupper andfilower feed-rolls; 39. fEeed ro1ls.3il :are .driven continuouslybyfmeans'.whichiincludes .a shaft 26 (Figs. -2.an'd3).connected lbygears 25 to main-shaft: l0. .Through .Worm gearing-121, .'28, yshaft C26 rotates Ythe.-.shaft.125).-of lovverffeedv roll .3e Which is geared .toitheshaftof upper feedroll .3 0.

'Eeed rolls ;30 continuously .advance lthe card lthrougnthe main sensing .station at which yare 'locatedthefgrow of .sensing brushes .3l, onefor .eachcard column, and thev common contact roll 32. 11n-.accordance :with the invention, .six machine-cycle:pointslater (see'Fig. 5), the card eniters thevchecking..station at `Which are located a .second-row ofsensingbrushes 3lc and a common contact-rol1'32c. The cards :are stacked inthe supplyhopper 2li-face down-and so that'the index positions, .1,2,y 3,-etc. (seefFg. 6) Vwill besuc- 'cessivelysensed lby the` brushes .31 vand thereafter byft-hebrushees31|c.y Thecontactroll .3 2c is rotated continuously by means including worm gearing 21e, 28C between shaft 26 (see Fig- 2) and a shaft 29o which is geared to the shaft of the contact roll 32e. Shaft 29e (also see Fig. 3) carries a narrow feed roller 30e, and an alined shaft 29d carries a similar roller 36d. The card is fed continuously through the checking station by the feed rolls 38 assisted by the contact roll 32o in cooperation with rollers 29C and 29d.

The card proceeds from the checking station to a pair of feed rollers 33 and 34. Feed rollerk 33 is spring-pressed and feed roller 34 is intermittently driven. The feed rollersV thus feed the card intermittently, advancing it to a printing position, then allowing the card to dwell at this position during printing, and then continuing the feed of this card past the printing position while feeding the following card to the printing position. The intermittent drive of feed roller 34 is effected by means including a gear 36 on shaft 35 of feed roller 34, a gear 31 meshed with gear 36 and fixed to a shaft 38, an interrupted driven gear 39 on shaft 39, and a coacting interrupted drive gear 46 on continuously rotating shaft l (see Fig. 2). During rotation of shaft i5, the gear 49 picks up gear 39 to cause operation of feed roller 34 for advancing the card, by coaction with roller 33, to the printing position. The

toothless portion of gear 40 then rides along theY toothless portion of gear 39, locking the latter gear and thereby, locking the feed roller 34, against movement during the period of the cycle in which printing is to occur. After this short period of the cycle, the gear 46 again picks up the gear 39 to cause feed rollers 33 and 34 to continue the feed of the card past the printing position.` Ejection of the card is effected by successive rollers 4| in coaction with tracks 42 (see Figs. l and 8). Rollers 4| are continuously rotated by worm gearing 44 between the shafts of these rollers and the shaft 26 (Fig. 2). According to the invention, the card will be selectively sorted to a pocket 43 or a pocket 43a (Figs. l and 3). Cards which have correctly controlled the printing means and consequently have the interpretations printed thereon are directed to pocket 43. Any card which incorrectly controlled the printing means does not have the interpretation printed thereon and is directed to pocket 43a. Before describing the selective sorting of the cards to the pockets 43 and 43a, the printing means will be described.

The printing means includes type bars 45 (Figs. 1, 3, and 4), one for each card column, and mounted in the frame for horizontal travel below the card path. Actuation of the type bars is effected by means including a, reciprocatable crosshead 41. The crosshead is connected at its ends to blocks 43 slidable upon rods 49 and having pivoted link connection to a follower 5| of a box cam 54 on a shaft 55. Shaft 55 is driven continuously by worm gearing 56, 51 from the main shaft I6 (see Fig. 2). The type bars 45 are releasably coupled by individual pawls 46 to crosshead 41 to be driven towards the left (Fig. 1) upon the leftward stroke of the crosshead. The type bars will be diiferentially positioned under control of the main sensing means during this stroke of the crosshead. Subsequently, upon the return stroke of the crosshead, it will pick up all the type bars and restore them to their initial positions. The actuation of the type bars towards the left (Fig. 1) is synchronized with the travel of index positions 0, l, 2, 3, etc. ofthe card (see Fig. 6) past the main sensing brushes 3|. Upon a perfora- 4 tion being sensed in a card column, a circuit traced later energizes a magnet 58, one such magnet being provided for each card column. The magnet, upon energization, releases a detent 62 from a dog 59 which thereupon springs into engagement with a tooth 69 of the type bar related to the controlling card column. The type bar is thus arrested in a position corresponding to the controlling perforation. In this manner, the plurality of type bars are differentially settable according to the item representing perforations. They remain so set until after the printing time of a machine cycle. Meanwhile, the controlling card is fed past the checking brushes 3|c `and to the printing position where it idles until after the printing time has elapsed. After printing time, dogs 59 are withdrawn from the teeth 6D of the type bars and relatched by detents 62, and the crosshead 41 then operates to restore the type bars to home positions. The means for releasing dogs 59 from the teeth 68 and relatchingthem with-detents 62 includes a cam 63 (Fig, 1) on shaft 55. Follower 64 of cam 63 abuts an upwardly spring-urged arm 66 on a shaft 61. On shaft 61 is another arm 68 which carries a restoring bar69 for dogs Y59 and which is pivotally connected'to a lever 1|) which carries a restoring bar 1| for detents 62. At the proper time, cam 63 acts upon the follower 64 and arm 66 to rock shaft 61 and arm 68 counterclockwise (Fig. 1). Arm 68, in turn, rocks lever 16 clockwise. Thus, bar 69 on arm 68 moves to the left to engage and withdraw dogs 59 from the type bars, while bar 1| moves upwardly to return detents positively into their latching engagement with the restored dogs'59.

Each type bar 45 carries a set of individual types 13, one type for printing each character which may be codally designated in a card column. For each type bar, there is one hammer 12. The hammers 12 are pivotally mounted on a rod 14 mounted on an oscillatable bar 15. Bar 15 is pivoted on the machine frame by pintles coaxial with rod 14.Y Springs 16 bias the bar 15 clockwise (Fig. l). Pivotally connected to the middle of bar 15 is a cam follower 11 bifurca-ted to straddle the shaft 55 and provided with a roller 11a engaged with a cam 18 fixed to shaft 55. Projecting from one face of cam 18 is a lug 19 for coacting with a projection of follower 11. The contour of cam -18 (see Fig. 5) is such that in each machine cycle, the cam gradually lifts follower 11 to rock the bar 15 counterclockwise (Fig. 1), tensioning springs 16 and retracting the hammers 12. As the high point of cam 18 leaves follower roller 11a, the lug 19 moves under the projection 80 to support the follower momen- -tarily in raised position. Lug 19 soon passes projection 80, allowing the springs 16 to release their tension and effect snap clockwise movement of bar 15 and abrupt drop of follower 11 to the low cam level. This snap action of bar 15 impels hammers 12 against the types 13 in printing position to effect printing on the controlling card through an ink ribbon. 8| designates the usual platen roller and 82 designates the ink ribbon which is fed and guided in conventional manner.

Means are provided to suppress printing if the checking means` nds that the type bars have been incorrectly set. The print suppressing means per se is similar to .that disclosed in Patent 2,343,398 and includes a bell crank lever 85 rotatably carried by shaft 55 (Fig. l). The horizontal arm of lever 85 carries the armature of a magnet 89 whichwill be energized under control of the checking :means constructed .accordingtztorthe :present invention. Axspring -9.0.norma11y.;main -tains ieyergg :in: Fig. 11; position: in which sitsrver'- yticabarmsfi is: to onefsiderthepathof projec- .etion 'L80 y.of 1 thecam; follower` 1. i Energization of magnet 8.9 resultsin positioning..-arm86..directly below-projection `8|). Now, *as*I the .l high point :of f.cam..r'l8'leaves:roller 11a, the projection'y drops upon `the, top of arm 86 which then supportsthe .follower '.11 .in raised position. With thegfollower ingthisipositiom zthe projection 8,0 is 4.outsideithc path of lug I9 and the lug freely travels pas-tthe :projection `Since the follower |1:is.;being;sus .,atainedpinraised-positionbysarm 86,;the Atensioned .springs *.'lfcannct-rock the bar '|5torimpe1z-the hammers -`l`2t against. ,the .types 13. In this man- .nenfprinting is 4suppressed in the cycle .inrwhich mgneti 89 h asyloeenenergized.. Magnetgwill ;b ,e .fenergizedfor only a short periodrbutgthe: spring :9011s .not strcngenoughto overcome thefpresSure exerted .by projection .80. under theinuence of tensionedjsprngs16,- upon the topfof arm 86./ In v the ffo11owingcycle, asthe high point of cam 18 .again-comes.' around to theroller 11a, it lifts1the follower to its highest position, whereupon .projection 100 rises from the top of -86 allowing .spring 9 0 torestorethe arm toits normal LpOsition Fig.--1)

As-previously'stated,'a feature of thisinvention ris theselective sorting of interpretedfcards and .non-interpreted cards, the la-tter Ybeing ,thecards .for which. the type. bars were incorrectly set. The .interpreted cards will be yrouted to affdeli-very pocket 43 and the non-interpretedcards `.to a .delivery ipocket 43a. Inasmuchas several =ma chine cycles relapse -between the checking v of -a rcardgand its -arrival at the deliveryv pockets, the :selective routing ofthe cards if attempted at the n.delivery Vend ywould require means. to hold A"the checking'resultwith respect rto each card vfor sevver-a1 :cycles According to the invention.,Y thecomplications of delay means are obviated by. effect- `ing thefselectiveY routing of eachfof the cards-duringthesamermachine .cycle in which the card is -checkecland interpreted or not interpreted ac- .c ording to fthe r.checking result. This selective routingpf-the cards will occur shortlyafterthe `cardleaves the printing position.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 7 and 8, -the routing `orsorting means furthe-cards in- .cludes a rnarrow, ,card guiding structure located centrally Vbetween and running parallel v.to 4the .side `tracks .42. The. card guiding structure .com-

.prises-.upper and lower Iguides 00randl0l and .a fiiexible :blad-e |02. The left hand end-or entrance end of this vguiding structure is near .the .left-ha-ndneject roller AI. Upperguide |00 -.is;i nftwo longitudinal sections, just Aas-each of .theftracks 42, and each section is -a flatpIate. The lower guide |0| is similarly in two sections, but each is a channeled plate. Flexible blade Y|02 lies in the channels .and extends rearwardly gpast-.the upper and lower guides and isanchored toa block |04 -which is fixed to partition |05 ,between pockets43 and taisee Fig. l). The v-fiexure of blade |02 is such that its Aleft end `Anormally rests upon the bottom of lower-guide I0 I. Thel guide |9| is formed with a narrow slot |0r| a overlapped by the left end of .the blade .|(l2.` The upper, :rounded rend of a bladerlifting `arm |03 extends into the slot Ilila. The Iarmv|03 `is secured .at its lower end to "the bar :15. Upper guide |00 is formed above-the left :end .ofiblade |02 with a'slot 100e-wide enough to.allo wi-the;leftgend ofthe blade togpass through vwhenzliftedrby the arm |03. As previously ex;- plained, during each machine cycle, barf'l is rockedftodts r. counterclockwise .limit Iunder :control of cam 1B after which it :isra-bruptly `1re- .turned .clockwise `-by 'springs 1.6 to neffect :printing provided magnet 8.91has.,;not rbeenrenergized. 'Magnet 9-awillzremain deenergized .if thechecking means Vdetermines lthat the fcard .at printing -position has ...brought about a :correct .setting of. fthe type zbars.- :andxzthe magnet @will :be :en- .ergizedrfif y,the checking. means has found the typegzbars torpe incorrectly rset. In' '..the flatter event-:bar :l5 i will remain .i in substantially :extreme counterclockwise .position luntil v.after the leadinggedgegof '..thefcard passes xthe i left. end` of .iiexible `zblade .102. rLikewise, theblade lifting -arm ilinrsecured to bar '|;5, wi1lbein substantially extreme connterclockwise position, .allowing. theleftzend 'ofV the ,blade |02 to 'remain downiinside...theilowen :channeled guide |:0 and fbelcwthetracks 4.2- Accordingly, the ca-rd :will travelcabovemtheblade.|32 and willbe guided between `.the .fblade and the fsections of .upper .guide |'|10..:and ithence :ejected .by rollers 14|, in :cooperation with tracks. 42, to the pocket 14:3a. ff the .checking Vmeans l,has found theettingof vlthe ltype :bars to be correct, it lwill not..;cause magnet 89 to be energized. Consequently, `loaf' .7 5 L,will 'be .allowed :to return clockwise,V under the. infl uence of springs 17.6, -to cause ;the printing..op.eration totalze place and will remainin lits ...extreme clockwise position ,until .after v:the cardhas passed-.the `entrance,end of Vblade |102. Likewisaiblade lifting f a-rm..| 03 will'- be in 'the .exftreme. .clockwise position, `shown -in A.F ig.y '7, in which itlifts rthe entrance end of the blade `IlIZYa-bove Ithe sides offlower, channeled .guide :|.01|. and `aboyefthe level of ftracksfli. .Accord- ;ing1y, '.'thegcard .will move `under the :blade |02 ,fandovergthefrounded :end of .arm ..|.03.and will .Y be.; guided .to fthe @pocket ,4.3.

In the-foregoing manner, interpreted cards.- are routed ato pocketqt '.whi-le `the non-.interpreted .cards areerouted .to pocket 1.43ct.

The. cl1eckingy means of the .present case .utilizes1.in,;part, -a :known circuit closing strucv,tureassociazted:with the'type bars i. Referring particularly-.togFi-g. .4, "this circuit i closing strucitureiincludes a :spring :metal contact wiper v9.2 -suitablyzmounted.on.,each type :bar i115 and a,in .allpositions of vthe :type `barmaintaining zen- ;gagement Vwith.; a conductive .strip Y93 extending parallelfztozgtheftype bar.. `There is one .wiperzez and istrip 9.3 `for each type bar. To the Aleft ofqall Vthe-strips 93..is'ga Vset yof contact ibars :914 :extending ,'Crosswiseofthe machine and suitably `mounted :to :the machine frame. The bars 94 .arespaced thegsame as the differential positions .ofithe-typeibarsand are selectively engaged -by .thegwipers 9-2.,in accordance with the differential ypositions vof -the typefbars. For `examplegany one onmore of -thetype bars set in irst-,dif- .ferential position, in which Vtheir '0* ftypes are :at printing -position, `*have their wipers 292 -entinged .with -the first-right hand. contact bar 94.

-Before describing the circuits, ,it is pointed yout that `the :machine Y is provided with :the conventional ca-rd lever contacts 30a (Fig. 1) lmaintained ,closed bythe cards as long asptheyconvxtinueito issue from the supply hopper L24. Eur- .then vshaft has fixed to it cams ;such.as, ;55a (Fig. 2).v for operating Vcam Acontacts .generally designated GC :and circuit breakers generally .designatedsCB :appearing in the circuit-.diagram -(Fg-..;.9f)'. AISO .fixed fato shaft L55 is :the `brush ofan emitter E appearing in the circuit diagram.

The circuits and operation of the machine will now be explained;

Referring to Fig. 9, line switch S, when closed, connects the oppositecir-cuit lines and I to a suitable D. C. supply. To start a run of cards through the machine, the operator depresses the start key, closing key contacts Ks. This completes a circuit through a relay Rl and the drive motor M.V With motor M now in operation, it continuously drives main shaft I0 and the shafts geared thereto (see Fig. 2) and the picker slides 23 (see also Figs. 1 and 3) will operate to feed cards from the supply hopper 24. Relay RI closes contacts R|a which together with cam contacts CC4 (see also Fig. 5) and stop key contacts Kp, establish a shunt circuit for relay RI and motor M. The start key is held down long enough to insure closure of the card lever contacts 30a (Fig. 1) by the first card issued from hopper 24. Contacts 30a upon closure complete a circuit through a relay R2 (Fig. 9), whereupon contacts R2a, paralleling contacts CC4, close. The operator may now release the start key since vrelay RI and motor M will be kept energized by the shunt circuits until the cards run out and CC4 opens.

Each card issued from supply hopper 24 (Fig. 1) is fed in a single machine cycle (see Fig. 5) first through the main sensing station, then through the checking station and to the printing station. The card pauses at the printing station until after the printing time which falls in the same machine cycle. Feed of the card is then resumed to .advance it past the entran-ce end of the card routing structure |00, |0|, |32 (Fig. 7 before the end of the cycle. The order in which the index positions of the card pass the main sensing brushes 3| and then the checking brushes 3|c is indicated in Fig. 5. It is noted that each index position passes a sensing brush 3|c six machine cycle points after the same index position has passed the same -column sensing brush 3|. As the card traverses the main sensing station, the brushes 3|, in cooperation with contact roll 32, complete control circuits at differential times corresponding to the locations of the perforated index positions of the card. Referring to Fig. 9, such control circuit extends from line through card lever contacts 30a (now closed), circuit breaker contacts CBI, contact roll 32, a brush 3|, plugging (not shown) between the brush plug socket BP and a socket MP, thence through the type bar positioning magnet 58 wired to said socket MP, and via cam contacts CCT to line `Proper operation will resul-t upon lenergiza-tion of magnet 58 in stopping the related type bar 45 (see Fig. 3) in correct differential position corresponding to the controlling perforation and in such position, the type bar will present at the printing position the type 'I3` (see Fig. l) of the character represented by the controlling perforation. Further, in correct differential position of the type bar, Wiper 92 mounted on the type bar is in engagement with the contact bar 94 corresponding to the controlling perforation. For example, a 2 perforation in a card column when sensed by a brush 3| should energize the magnet 58 plugged to the brush to cause therelated type bar to stop in a differential position in which its 2 type is at printing position and its wiper 92 engaged with the 2 bar 94 (see Fig. 9). Six cycle points after the controlling perforation is sensed by a brush 3| it is sensed by a checking brush 3 Ic. Upon the brush 3|c sensing the perforation, it completes a checking circuit provided .ther type bar has 'been correctly positioned. Thus,`to continue with the example of a 2 perforation, Vthe sensing by brush 3|c of this perforation, provided the type bar is in the correct 2 position, completes the following circuit: Line l0, 30a, CB2; 32a. 3|c, plug connection, pick up -coil p of a duo wound relay magnet R3, .plug connection, contact strip 93, wiper 92 of the type bar being checked, 2 bar 94, emitter E, and line Energized coil p of relay R3 closes contacts R3a to establish the circuit of companionv hold coil h of the relay by way of CC2 and said contacts R3a. If allof the type bars have been correctly positioned, all the relays R3 plugged into circuit will be in operated status bef-ore the 18th machine cycle point and will remain in this status until CC2 opens shortly before the 25th machine cycle point (see Fig. 5). All the contacts R31) therefore will be in a closed con-dition during the closure time of CC3, so that a relay R4 will be energized. The circuit of relay R4 will make before CCG closes. Closure of CCB overlaps the printing time and -is ineffective to complete a circuit through the magnet 89 (also see Fig. 1) while relay contacts R4a are open, as is the case if relay R4 has been energized. With magnet 89 remaining deenergized, the printing operation will be allowed to'take place `and the guide blade |03 (see also Figs. '7 and 8) will be lifted to gui-de the card, after the printing operation, to the delivery pocket `43.

If any of the type bars 45 has not been correctly positioned, its wiper 92 will not be engaged with the proper contact bar l-lll.v Accordingly, a circuit such as the one traced before will not be completed through coil p of a relay R3. The coil h of this relay'R3 will not be energized, the b contacts of the relay will not be closed and, hence, the circuit of the relay R4 will be unable to make. Accordingly, the contacts Rfla will remain closed and upon closure of CO6, the magnet 89 will be energized. Energization of magnetV 89 suppresses the printing operation and causes the non-interpreted card to be directed, in the manner previously described, to the pocket 43a.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form of details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, Without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine having elements at a main station for sensing index positions of a record for item representations, means to feed records successively to said station, and recording devices differentially settable under control of said elements according to item representations sensed thereby upon a record; means for checking the accuracy of the setting of the recording devices and including a checking station comprising supplemental sensing elements and so positioned with respect to the sensing elements at the main station to resense a record for item representations after such item representations of the same record have been sensed by the 'sensing' elements-fat'the'fmain sta-tion,v and t while 'the'ffollowing-indexfpositons'fof the'zsamerrecord 'aire-'being' sensed attlie ymain station; comparing meanslunder-f'cojointcontrol fof the supplemental sensing elementsl according' to the` item i representations resensed on a record and.Y bythe: recordingf devicesY according totheir setting.' for detecting,.at the time the supplemental sensing elements are resensing the item: representations and the recording' devices are being' setfunder control of said elements at" the main station, matching or non-matching relations betweenthe resensed item representations and the -setting 'of the recording devices,` and'means controlledvselectivelyby the comparing'rneans for separating the records i found to havev a matching 'relation at themain station to resense'a record for item representations after suchA itemk representations of the same `record have been sensed by" the sensing elements of themainstation andv while the following index positions of 'thesame record are beingA sensed at the' main' station, comparing means-under cojoint controlv of the supplemental sensing elements according to the item representations resensed ona record'and bythe recording devices according to their setting' for detecting-at' the time the" supplemental sensing elements are resensing the item representations andthe recording devices are being'set under control of said elements at the main station, matching or non-matching relations between the resensed item representations and the setting of the recording devices, aA pair of receiving stations for the records, means for directing the records operated upon to either of said stations, and means under selective control of said comparing means for selectively operating said directing'means to direct those records which have correctly-set the recording devices to one ofsaid stations and to direct those'records which have incorrectly set the recording devices to the other of:` said stations. V

3; In a machine having sensing elements at a; Amain station for sensing index positions of a record for item designations, means to-'feed records in succession to said station, and recording: means with recording devices differentially settable under control of saidsensing elements according to the designations sensed on a-Arecord; means for checking the accuracy of the-*setting of the recording devices and including a checking station comprising supplemental sensing elements and so positioned with respect to the sensing elements at the main station to resense a record for item designations after such item designations of the same record have been sensed by the sensing elements at the main station and while the following index positions of the same record are being sensed at the main stadevicesffo'r;v conditioning. the contact' arrange'- meritiy toi'repres'entL th'ea'setting of the recording devices, vcomparing' circuits jointly controlled by the 'supplemental sensing elements according to thefv itemV designations resensed on the record andby said'v contactA arrangement according to the electrical,representation thereby ofthe settingoftherrecording devices to compare, at the time the supplemental sensing elements areresensing the item designations andthe recording devicesiare being' set' under control of the sensing elements at' the main station, the setting of the recording devices and the resensed designations for agreement or disagreement, and machine function control means selectively governed by said checking'circuits according to thecomparison result.

4. In an interpreter having means 'to feed eachof successive records through a main sensing station and thereafter to a printing position, elements at the mainsensing station for sensing index positions of each record for item designations, and printing means including type carriers dinerentially settable under control of said elements according to the sensed designations to present types corresponding to said designations at the-printing position; means to check the` accuracy of the setting of the type carriers andi including aA checking station comprising supplemental sensing elements and so positioned with respectto the sensing elements at the main station-to'resense a record for item designations after such'item designations of the'same record have been sensed by the sensingelements at the fmain station and while the following index positions of the same reco-rd are being sensed at the main station, means for representing the setting of the type carriers, and including members selectively positionable bythe type 'carriers' according to their setting, comparing means jointly controlled by the supplemental sensing elements and said representing means for comparing, at the time the supplemental sensing elementsare resensing the item designations and the. type carriers are being set under control ofi said elements at the main station, the setting of the typeV carriers and the item designations with respect to agreement'or non-agreement, record guiding means havingan entrance end adjacent to and following the printing position, said guiding means including a separator positionable at said entrance end selectively aboveor below the planeof ther record atithe'printing position, so that when the separatoris positionedabove said plane, the record will be guided below the separator and when the separator is positioned below said plane, the record willbe guided above the separator, means for ejectingeach recordl from the-printing position to said guiding means and above or below the separator' depending on the positionof the separator, and means under control of the comf paring Imeans according tothe comparison. result for selectively positioning said separator.

.5. In a cyclically operating interpreter having elements at a main station to sense index positions of each of successive records, one record a cycle, for item designations, printing means for printing an interpretation of the designations upon each record and including type carriers dilerentially settable under control of the sensing elements to present types corresponding to the designations at a printing position and also including cyclically timed impression-taking means selectively eiiective to cooperate with the types in printing position to effect printing therefrom upon the sensed record, and cyclic means for feeding each of successive records in each cf successive cycles first past sensing elements and thereafter to a printing position to have the interpretation of its designations printed thereon; means to check the setting of the type carriers and including a checking station comprising supplemental sensing elements and so positoned with respect to the sensing elements at the main station to resense a record for item designations after such item designations of the same record have been sensed by the sensing elements at the main station and while the following index positions of the same record are being sensed at the main station, comparing circuits jointly controlled `by the supplemental sensing elements according to the resensed designations and by the type carriers according to their setting to detect, at the time the supplemental sensing elements are resensing the item designations and the type carriers are being set under control of said elements at the main station, agreement or disagreement between the designations and said setting, means to selectively direct the record along one or another path and positioned to receive the record after passing the printing position and before a next record is sensed by the first-named elements, and means controlled by the comparing means according to the comparison result for governing the record directing means to selectively direct the record to one or another path and for also governing the impression-taking means to be effective or ineffective according to the comparison result.

6. In a cyclically operable machine having elements at a main station for sensing a record for item representations at differential times, means to feed records successively to said sensing elements, recording devices differentially settable under control of said elements according toV item representations sensed thereby during a cycle to present types corresponding to the sensed representations at a printing position, cyclically operable printing means selectively rendered effective at a time in a cycle for cooperating with the types at printing position to effect printing therefrom, a checking station comprising supplemental sensing elements so located with respect to the position of the sensing elements at the main station as to cause sensing of item representations of one record at other differential times which are later in the same cycle than the differential times the same representations of the same record have been earlier sensed by the sensing elements at the main station, a plurality of settable means, one of which is settable under controlv of said recording devices at Said differential times and stored up during said other differential times and the other of which is settable under control of the elements at the checking station at said other differential times, means associated with the plurality of settable means and operable at said other differential times for determining Whether the amount stored up on the settable means which is under control of the recording devices corresponds with the amount on the, other settable means which is under control of the elements at the checking station, and means under control of said last named means upon detecting'a lack of correspondence for suppressing the operation of said printing means.

'7. In an interpreter having means to feed each of successive records through a main sensing station and thereafter to -a printing position, elements at the main sensing station for sensing each record for item designations vat differential times and printing means including type carriers differentially settable under control of said elements accordingto the sensed designations to present at the printing position types corresponding to said designations, a checking station comprising supplemental sensingr elements so located with respect to the position of the sensing elements at the main station as to cause sensing of item designations of one record at other differential times which are later in the same cycle than the differential times that the same designations of the same record have been earlier sensed by the sensing elements at the main station, a plurality of settable means, one of which is settable under control of said type carriers at said differential times and stored up `during said other differential times and the other of which is settable under control of the elements at the checking station at saidV other differential times, means associated with the plurality ofthe settable means and operable at said other differential times for determining whether the amount stored up on the settable means which is under control of the type carriers corresponds or does not correspond with the amount on the other settable means which is under control of the elements at the checking station, and machine function control means selectively controlled by the last named means according to the correspondence or lack of correspondence.

JOHN N, WHEELER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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